As a one-time exception and because of the need to initiate coordination
and local action promptly I have cleared a response to your message of
March 22 through Ambassador Unger. He will therefore be informing your Government
shortly of the President’s favorable decision on your request to
introduce one of your battalions into Laos.2 In
addition to the information which Ambassador Unger will be providing, you should also be aware that
we have approved another two B–52
missions in support of the battle for Long Tieng. The latter is
exclusively for your information.

Best regards.

Source: National Archives,
Nixon Presidential
Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 102,
Country Files—Far East, Thanat
(Foreign Minister), [2 of 2]. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. In a
March 26 memorandum Haig
requested that the message be transmitted “through our special
channel” and “not be shared with any other individual.”↩

On March 27 a message from Thanat for Kissinger was received over the same special
channel, stating that the “Prime Minister has asked me to convey to
the President and to you his deep appreciation for the very
significant decision which the President has taken, which will go a
long way to strengthen the defence of Laos as well as the security
of the area, particularly that of Thailand.” (Ibid.)↩